Rail joining and gauging device



B. RHODES HAIL JOINING AND GAUGING DEVICE Filed Jan. 4, 1926 May 25 1926.

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Patented May 25, 1926.

UNITED STATES,

BENJAMIN RHODES, OF MARCUS HOOK, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL JOINING AND GAUGING: DEVICE.

Application filed January 4, 1926. Serial No. 79,189.

This invention relates to means for join 11w traction rails and'more articularl t b a a device tor removably securing and gauging a pair of rails on a railway road-bed.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a devicewhich comprises rail bed plates for equal spacing on and attachment to the usual wooden ties, a pair of rail joining plates and wedge and bolt means for con 16' stantly maintaining a correct track gauge.

Another object of the invention is to provide a traction rail placement and securing device, as specified, which comprises a relatively small number of'parts, provides 15 maximum strength for the joined sections of the rails, prevents the spreading of the rails, eliminates the use of the usual spikes, prolongs the life of the wooden ties, provides for easily taking up the rails and effectively secure the rails to the ties.

Other objects of the invention will ap pear in the following detail description, and in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1is a top plan view of a section of a gauged railway road-bed showing one of the rails at a joint, said joint partly in section.

Figure 2is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. 7

Figure 3is an enlarged cross sectional, view of the rail joining and securing means.

Figure 41s a top plan view of the rail bed-plate per se.

Figure 5is a top plan view partly in section on one end of a rail tie, showing the rail Securing bolts in open position.

Referring more particularly tothe drawing, the invention comprises the usual wooden tie which for use with the hereinafter described parts, is bored at two places 11 and 12, adjacent the ends 13 thereof, and on the longitudinal center line of the tie, for placement over said bores 'ot the road-bed plates 14, which are provided with two keynvay slotted apertures 15, and said apertures are adapted for registration with the bores in the tie, and the said bedplates 14 are placed adjacent to each end 50 or the tie. The bed-plates 14 are further provided centrally with a rectangular recess or step 16 for slidable engagement therein of the base flange 17 of the traction rail 18. Howevegbefore the rail 18 is placed in said recess, the bed-plates 14 are when the rails are replaced, to readily and,

secured to the tie 10 by 'a pluralityrof L- headbolts 19, which are grooved longitudinally and oppositely from the end'20 of the head 21 of thebolts 19, as at 22, and the lower ends of said bolts are suitably threaded to receive a washer 23, and a securing nut 28 which isthreaded on the threaded end of the bolt 19, and the thread on the bolt below the nut 23' nicked or otherwise burred so that the nut cannot turn and move below its fixed-position.

This operation, may be carried out immediately before placing the tie'in the ballast road-bed or may be assembled at a distant place and carried to the road-bed. This having been accomplished, the sections of the traction rails 18 which are to be secured to the tie or joint, are placed in the recess 16 of the bed-plates 14, with the heads 21 01 the L-bolts 19, ina position parallel with the base flange 25. A pair of joining plates 24 are then placed on opposite sides of the rail sections to be joined, with the upper and lower edges ofsaidplates 24 suitably angled to conform with the angle of the base flange 17, and the underside of the head 26, of the rail sections 18. The joining plates 24 have suitable cut-out portions, as indicated at 27, and provide clearance space for insertion therein, of the bolts 19 Suitable joining plate bolts are passed through the apertures in the rail ends, and the oining plates and securely locked; This having been accomplished, the heads 21 of the L-bolts 19, are turned to the right, until the heads; 21 have been oppositely and securely placed on the lower extending flange of the joining plates 24, with the slots 22, in said bolts 19, in registration with similar slots 15 provided'in the key-way apertures 15 in the bed-plates 14, for receiving a wedge or drift 29, for securely locking the bolts 19 against movement.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with thevdrawing, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, that I have provided a simple, safe, and eflicient device, for automatically gauging the rail centers over the entire distance of the rails, comprising a rail-way road-bed, and also a device which securely retains the rails to the said road-bed, without any possible displacement of the rails in any manner, and while I have shown, and described, one practical emmeans for placing and securing the rails at a fixed gauge, joining plates for connecting sections of rail, means for locking said first named'moans, and said joining plates having topiand bottom inclined surfaces to conform with. the head: and fiangeofsaid rail.

1.11m combination with a wooden. tie for rails having flanges, rail bed-plates, said plates being, oblong and apertured adjacent eachendithereof for registration with alike number of spaced apertures lllz said tie on the longitudinal center line thereof, L-head bolts for securing said plates to said tie, a rectangular recess centrally in each of said plates for placement of the rail base flange therein. joining plates having top and bottom inclined surfaces to conform with. the

head andflange of rail sections,.cut -out por- L-head bolts, and means for securing said L-head bolts.

3. In combination with a wooden tie for rails having flanges, rail bed-plates, said plates being oblong, and having in and adjacent each end thereof, arkey-way in each of said apertures, said apertures adapted for registration with alike number of spaced apertures in said tie on the longitudinal center line thereof, L-head'bolts for securing said plates to said tie, a key-way groove in the shank of said bolts for registration with the key-way in said apertures, a rectangular rccess centrally in each of said plates for placement of the rail base flange therein, joining plates having top and bottom inclined surfaces conforming with the head and flange of rail sect-ions, cut-out portions in said joining plates providing clearance for said L-head bolts, tapered keys for insertion in-the key-waysin said bolts,.aslotted aperture for securing said bolts, and said bolts adapted for rotation upon the removal of said tapered keys for taking up and replacing a rail.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

BENJAMIN RHODES. 

